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2025 Virginia Wildlife Grant Program Application Guidance

Grant submission period: January 1 – February 1, 2025

In the past 11 years, nearly 255 projects have been supported at $930,135 and have connected over 74,000 participants to the outdoors! See more details at the Virginia Wildlife Grant Program page.

Overview

The Virginia Wildlife Grant Program is a joint effort of the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) and the Wildlife Foundation of Virginia (WFV). It provides funding to organizations with a common mission of connecting people to the outdoors and supports outdoor recreation activities such as archery, boating/paddling, fishing, hunting/recreational shooting, and wildlife viewing. The grant prioritizes programs that are aligned with DWR’s R3 Plan as well as the Inclusive Excellence Plan.

Funds to support the Virginia Wildlife Grant program include:

Grant Focus Areas

Through this grant, DWR and WFV are connecting new audiences, such as urban and underrepresented communities, to outdoor activities by focusing on recruitment and retention.

“Recruitment” involves raising awareness, generating interest, and offering first-time experiences in outdoor activities. “Retention” focuses on supporting and encouraging participants to continue these activities through ongoing programs that build skills and confidence. These efforts aim to help participants overcome barriers and stay engaged even after the program ends. DWR’s Recruitment and Retention Strategies align with a national initiative supported by state fish and wildlife agencies.

Priorities

The Virginia Wildlife Grant Program will prioritize the following opportunities:

2025 Eligible Applicants

  • Colleges/Universities (2 & 4 year)
  •  501(c) (3) Non-Profit

2025 Award Areas

  • Start-up: This award area is for new or emerging programs (less than 2 years) that are establishing themselves and looking to add new programs or opportunities to get people outdoors.
  • Growth: This award area is for developed or established programs or organizations (2+ years) that are looking to add new programs or initiatives to support the work they are already doing to connect people to the outdoors.

2025 Award Amount Range

The number and amount of grant awards given depends on funds received through the previous year’s contributions. Generally 10–15 awards are granted each year. The following ranges are provided to support different stages of a program’s development:

  • Start-up Stage: $2,000–$5,000
  • Growth Stage: $5,000–$10,000

Recruitment/Retention Program Eligibility

  • Your program recruits or retains participants in one or more of the following eligible activities:
    • Archery
    • Boating
    • Fishing
    • Hunting
    • Recreational Shooting (firearms)
    • Wildlife Viewing – please reference the DWR Wildlife Viewing Plan
  • The activity program period is from March 2025–December 1, 2025
  • All grantees will be required to sign a grant agreement

Grant Application Content Requirements – online submission is required

Please review the DWR R3 Strategic Plan, Virginia Wildlife Viewing Plan, and Inclusive Excellence Strategic Plan.

  • Select your primary activity which is related to your budget and gear purchases. You may be buying a kayak (boating) but if most of your budget funds will be used to purchase fishing gear then fishing is your primary activity.
  • If your program supports multiple activities, please indicate secondary activities that will also be supported through grant dollars.
  • Projected Number of Participants.
  • Age Range of Participants
  • Program description and activities – include how program will address the focus areas and include program goals which are broad statements about the long-term expectation of what should happen as a result of your program
  • Objectives — specify the intended effect of the program in the target population or end result of a program. The outcome objective focuses on what your target population(s) will know or will be able to do as a result of your program/activity.
  • List of Community Partners and their contributions
  • Budget

Allowable Expenses

  • All grant purchases will include outdoor gear and equipment related to the eligible tasks (rods and reels, firearms, ammunition, binoculars, field guides, etc.)
  • Transportation needs
  • Instructor support to provide expertise related to the outdoor activity (to include trainings or licensure for current staff)

Non-Allowable Expenses

  • T-shirts, refreshments, prizes, raffles, or other items not directly related to the activity
  • Staff salaries

Disbursement of Funds

  • The WFV shall disburse 100% of the funds to Grantee when the award is accepted
  • Checks must be deposited within 30 days of receipt

Grant Timeline

  • Application Submission Deadline: February 1, 2025
  • Application Review and Award Announcement: February 2025
  • Grant Agreement Signed: within 15 days of award notification
  • Check Deposit: March 2025 (or within 30 days of receipt)
  • Project Completion: December 1, 2025
  • Final Report: December 1, 2025

Contact

The DWR contact is Kelsey Steenburgh (kelsey.steenburgh@dwr.virginia.gov).

Submit a Grant Application